Marriage at Any Price

by Lauren Canan

  What if he didn’t?

  Then she asked herself another question. What if he’d found someone else to marry? He was certainly attractive enough. Most women would probably jump into his arms and hope they stopped by a bedroom on the way to the altar. All he would have to do was show them that grin.

  Just as she stepped from the shower, the lights flickered, and a long, low rumble of thunder passed overhead. Usually she loved the rain. Not tonight. It made her aware of how lonely she was. She looked at her bed then glanced around to her closet. Was it go to bed for another sleepless night or grab a fresh pair of jeans and a shirt and see if she could track down Seth Masters? There were only three hotels in Calico Springs...

  An hour later the rain pelted her as she entered the front lobby of the Calico Springs Hotel and Suites. Soon she was standing in front of room 214. Without allowing herself a chance to back out, she raised her hand and knocked.

  A couple of minutes later, Seth Masters pulled open the door. Bare to his waist, dressed only in formfitting jeans, he leaned one muscled arm against the door frame and looked surprised to see her.

  “Ms. Kincaid?” He opened the door wider.

  “Yes.” Ally swallowed hard. “And yes. I will marry you, Mr. Masters,” she said, “as long as that document conveys what you told me.”

  “It will.”

  “So what do we do now?”

  He backed up to let her in, that sexy grin on his face. “First, let’s get you dry.”

  “And then?”

  “And then...tomorrow I’ll have my attorney fly in, and while you provide the information for the legal agreement, I’ll arrange to buy the property.”

  “Just like that. You’re going to buy the ranch.”

  “Just like that.”

  Ally had never believed in fairy tales, but if this proposition was real and not some cruel joke, she was living in one.

  * * *

  Seth’s attorney, James Buchanan, and his legal assistant arrived by two o’clock the following day, ready to get to work. The fact that Seth let Ally set the conditions gave her added confidence in what she had agreed to do. Ally had no problem with clauses that precluded her from any claim on Seth’s current holdings. Fair was fair. The only thing she wanted was her ranch.

  At some point during the afternoon, it finally hit her: she was getting married. Married to a man she didn’t know. At twenty-four years old, she’d honestly never thought about getting married. While her friends in school planned and daydreamed about that special day, Ally’s thoughts had been of horses and taking the winning trophy at quarter horse competitions. All that changed in seconds when she agreed to say “I do.”

  The following day Seth picked her up and drove to the county clerk’s office, where they applied for the wedding license. In two days’ time, she’d become Ally Masters.

  It was an unbelievable situation, one that would have her father rolling over in his grave if he knew. She put it out of her mind and kept telling herself that Seth wasn’t a real Masters. He was from Los Angeles and not in cahoots with the local members of the family. Sometimes it worked for a few minutes. Then at other times she would look at Seth and see shades of his father and the truth came screaming back at her of how closely Seth was related to the Masters patriarch who had betrayed them, the man who’d taken them for all they had and left her alone struggling to survive.

  What was she doing?

  * * *

  Two days later the civil ceremony was a short, no-frills affair. Mr. Buchanan and his legal assistant served as the witnesses. The surprise came when Seth extracted a black velvet box from his pocket that contained a beautiful diamond-encrusted wedding ring and slipped it onto Ally’s finger. Then he handed her a solid gold band to be placed on his hand, and with a few words from the county judge, they were pronounced husband and wife.

  When Seth took her into his arms, their eyes met and the world tipped a little. Ever so slowly Seth lowered his lips to hers. His kiss was gentle, almost soothing. Reassuring. Ally became lost in his touch, in his strong arms. The kiss felt like something more meaningful than a token kiss at a fake wedding ceremony.

  Seth lost no time in taking it to the next level, his mouth closing over hers, his tongue entering and tasting, letting her taste him. When they finally drew apart, she glanced up at his face as he released her and caught a twinkle in his amber eyes. Her heart thumped a few hard beats. She hoped she saw merriment in his eyes, that the twinkle didn’t represent the dreaded gotcha.

  Either way, it was done. Because land acquisitions and sales were handled by a special department in Masters International, LLC., it was not necessary for any of the Masters brothers to be present for the transfer of the deed. Seth had received a phone call that morning from Cole, welcoming him to the neighborhood. There were three days until the purchase of the ranch was finalized. Another few days until the probate hearing. A few months until he would return to his life in LA. You can handle a few months. What would happen between now and then was anyone’s guess. The only thing she was assured of was that the ranch would be hers. Nothing else mattered.

  Returning the waves from Mr. Buchanan and his legal assistant, she let Seth escort her out to his car.

  “Are you hungry?” he asked. “It’s almost five o’clock. Care to grab a bite to eat?”

  “Sure. Whatever you’d like to do.”

  She saw him purse his lips to subdue a grin.

  Soon they were seated across from each other at a small table in Burdall’s café. Ally couldn’t help but remember the last time they were here. Then, she didn’t even know his name. Now, his last name was hers. Masters. She eyed the glittering diamonds on her left hand.

  “You went to a lot of unnecessary expense,” she commented. “The ring is beautiful.”

  Seth shrugged. “I guess I’m a bit old-fashioned. I couldn’t see not giving my bride a ring for the ceremony.”

  My bride.

  “Well, I’ll certainly return it to you before you leave.”

  “I’m not worried about it.” He sat back while the waitress placed glasses of ice water on the table and took their order. “So...where are we going to spend the night?”

  “Excuse me?”

  “Your place or mine?”

  “Ah... I thought we would each go back to our own previous living arrangements. You at your hotel and me at the cabin.”

  “Not really indicative of a newlywed couple. Remember, this has got to look as real as it is on paper. For all intents and purpose, as far as anyone knows we are in love. Any doubts someone might raise as to the legality of our union might challenge my rights to be considered in the will. In which case, all bets are off.”

  Ally could feel the irritation like a slow burn inside. Regardless of what she’d agreed to on paper, she’d never given thought to having to spend the night...nights...with this man. “You never said anything about sleeping together.”

  He looked at her, dumbfounded. “I didn’t think it necessary. We are, in fact, legally married. Why bother to tie the knot if you live on one side of town and I stay on the other?”

  “Did you or did you not tell me we had to put up a good front when we’re out in public? That does not hold true behind closed doors.”

  “Why?”

  She leaned over the table toward him. “You know why,” she shot back.

  “Do most married couples not stay together? Share living arrangements?”

  The waitress set their plates down on the table. The steak appeared cooked to perfection, but she knew if she tried to eat at this moment, she would choke. Her throat was closing until she could barely breathe.

  “Yes,” she hissed. “But we are not most couples!”

  “Ally, you’re getting upset over nothing. Just because we share a home doesn’t mean something will necessarily happen between us. Don’t get
me wrong—” he began to cut his steak “—I’m on board if it does. You’re a very beautiful woman. But it’s your call.”

  “Share a home? You mean you intend to move into the house on the ranch?”

  Seth looked at her as though she’d told a really bad joke.

  “Fine. We can go to my cabin. It has a twin-size bed and a sofa.” He had to be at least six foot two, with broad shoulders. There was little doubt that if he tried to sleep on either the bed or couch, his head would hang off one end and his feet the other. “You can take your pick.”

  “When do you have to be out of the cabin?”

  “I have it as long as I keep my job, which I intend to do.”

  “That doesn’t make any sense.”

  “What do you expect me to do? Live in a tree?”

  “I expect you to give your resignation and move to your ranch. Isn’t that what you wanted?”

  “I can’t move to the ranch until you close on the property.”

  “Which is the day after tomorrow.”

  “Regardless, in the meantime I need someplace to live. Plus, I need my salary. Jobs in this area are not plentiful.”

  “You don’t need a job. I can supply anything you need. Which reminds me, we are going to need some furniture for the house. In the meantime, we’ll stay at the hotel. Or, if you prefer, we can go on a short honeymoon.”

  “That’s ludicrous.”

  “It’s expected.”

  “Not by me!”

  The simmer was back. He expected her to act like the blushing bride and go off to some strange place with him? Not happening.

  “Look, Masters.” She quickly looked around them to ensure they weren’t being overheard then lowered her voice. “I’ll play this game only so far. I have zero intentions of getting into bed with a man I’ve known less than a week. You flatter yourself if you think I can be coerced into such a thing. If that’s what you believe, you picked the wrong woman.”

  “Mrs. Masters, I never said anything about sharing a bed. That was your own idea. One I’m not opposed to but not one I suggested. We will, however, share accommodations. If you want to explain to your friends and cohorts why we spent our wedding night in a cabin that’s barely large enough for one person, so be it.”

  “I had no intention of telling anyone about this sham marriage. That’s your thing, not mine.”

  “I don’t care if you spread the news or not, but this is a small town. Sooner or later someone will recognize you and ask about the man you’re with. What are you going to say then?”

  Why hadn’t she considered all of this before she signed that stupid contract? Suddenly the ranch didn’t seem all that important. A fleeting picture flashed in her mind of her lying on a feather-soft bed with Seth’s strong arms around her. Of snuggling there, warm and protected. A flare of heat bloomed in her lower region, and she crossed her legs to fight off the sensation. It didn’t help.

  “Fine. Have it your way. We can go to your hotel and I’ll take the couch or the floor.”

  He smiled and put a bite of steak in his mouth. “It’s not a very big couch.”

  “I don’t care.” She sprinkled some salt over her baked potato and began to eat.

  “You might after a few nights.”

  “I’ll be fine. Don’t worry about me. Just keep to your side of the room and do not come into mine.”

  At that he smiled then pursed his lips as though to keep from grinning outright.

  “Whatever you say, Mrs. Masters.”

  Four

  Seth recalled a time from his childhood when he’d been scratched by a neighbor’s cat. He had a strange feeling he’d just taken on one again, only this time the feline was taller and its claws twice as sharp. Still, he loved a challenge. He had no intention of making any moves on her, but she kept bringing up the subject. Maybe he should give making love to the fiery redhead a bit more thought. She was a beautiful woman, and the idea was tantalizing.

  “Do you want to go and look at some furniture tomorrow?” Seth asked, changing the subject. “How about we check out some furniture stores in the afternoon?”

  “Okay,” she replied. “The mattresses at the house are old. We’re gonna need places to sleep.”

  “And a refrigerator. Stove. Kitchen table. You might want to look for a sofa or a couple of easy chairs to go in the den as well.”

  She laid her fork down and met his gaze. “Why are you doing this?”

  “Because I don’t happen to like sleeping on the floor. However, if you do I’ll simply purchase a couple of air mattresses and call it done.”

  “No,” she said after a time. “A bed would be nice. As would a stove and refrigerator. I just don’t know how long it will be until I can pay you back.”

  “I don’t recall saying you had to pay me back. Anyway, don’t sweat the small stuff. We’ll figure it out.”

  After dinner Ally agreed to show him around the area. It was prime land, with beef cows and horses dotting the horizon. Pine and oak trees towered at the edges of the vast pastureland. A river wound its way through the hills and close to the small town at the center of it all.

  “Were you born here?”

  “Yeah. I spent a few years in College Station northeast of Austin while I was in school, but that’s about it. What about you? Born and raised in Los Angeles?”

  He nodded. “But I’ve always craved the country. A place you can see forever and take a deep breath.”

  “Why didn’t you leave or move farther out of the city?”

  “I would have liked to. California has some of the most beautiful places to live in the United States. But there wasn’t time to think about it. Generally I’m on call 24-7. Many times I have to fly out on a minute’s notice.”

  “That’s gotta be rough. You must really like what you do.”

  Seth nodded. “I especially like the fact that it gives me the opportunity to work on projects like the research center. A friend of mine is a hematologist. Another is an oncologist. We are combining efforts toward our goals. They are so close to developing a cure for a lot of diseases. I want to help push that research forward.” He was quiet for a moment, unsure of how much to tell her about his past. “My mother died of leukemia. I promised her I would help find a cure.”

  He caught Ally’s gaze; her eyes shimmered with understanding. “I’m sorry.”

  “It was a few years back. But thank you.”

  When they turned back toward the ranch where she worked, it was already growing dark. Seth helped her out of the car in front of the small cabin that was nestled in the trees within the borders of the ranch.

  “I just have to grab a few things,” she told him as she got out of the car. “I won’t be long.”

  Seth watched her disappear inside then followed. As he looked around, he was a bit surprised at what he saw. The single room was even smaller than it looked from the outside. There was a sink, a commode and a tiny shower stall in one corner, and a closet without any doors in the other. In the center of the room was a single bed, along with a tiny moth-eaten sofa and one straight chair against the wall. Having seen the house where she’d grown up, it was a shock to him that she now had to make do with such poor accommodations.

  She looked up from packing and saw him standing inside the door. “I don’t have a suitcase. Pillowcases will have to do. Tomorrow if I need anything else, I can probably find a box.”

  Seth nodded and kept his thoughts to himself. She would not be coming back to this place no matter what he had to do to prevent it. She needed clothes and a good bed and enough space to turn around. From her strong attitude, he would never have guessed she was living in such deplorable conditions. He walked over and picked up the first pillowcase she’d filled.

  “I’ll take this to the car. Take your time.”

  When they arrived at the hot
el, Seth helped her carry two filled pillowcases inside. The suite wasn’t a big room by his standards but three times the size of her cabin. But there was only one bed. A quick phone call to the hotel office confirmed what he feared: they were fully booked. It was Friday night. No two-bed rooms available.

  “There are hangers in the closet, extra pillows in that cabinet.” He pointed to a closet door. “And extra blankets, I think.” He couldn’t keep from glancing over to the small, curved sofa. He should be a gentleman and offer to sleep there, but at the same time, he saw no reason they couldn’t share the California king. If she insisted on using the little sofa, that was her decision.

  Ally stood in the center of the room looking lost, as though she didn’t know what to do next. He found her timidity charming. According to her driver’s license, which he’d seen when they applied for the marriage certificate, she was twenty-four. Most of the women he knew wouldn’t think twice about stripping down and crawling into the bed. It made him curious what her previous life had been like. Married and divorced? Engaged? Maybe a few boyfriends here and there but nothing serious? As beautiful as she was, he found that hard to believe.

  A glance at his watch told him it was almost midnight. It had been a long day. He suspected it had been a long and emotional one for Ally. Walking into the bedroom, he pulled back the covers with one hand while he loosened his tie with the other.

  “You’re welcome to first shot at the bathroom. There are extra towels and bathrobes in the small pantry in the dressing room.”

  “Thanks,” she said and turned in that direction, disappearing behind the closed door. The bath had a large whirlpool bathtub. He hoped she would partake and let some of the tension ease out of her body. He couldn’t help but smile when he heard her turn on the tap.

  Sometime later she emerged wearing an old T-shirt that hung a few inches above her knees. Her hair had been washed and dried and fell in feather-soft layers around her head. He grew hard despite the control he tried for. Her full lips were closed tight; not even a hint of a smile touched her features. She pulled a blanket and pillow from the closet and set about making up the tiny sofa. By the time Seth was finished in the bathroom, she was perched on the makeshift bed in the main room, looking as though she was in deep thought.